Waste receptacle dumping mechanism

ABSTRACT

Dumping mechanism preferably mounted on the side of a pick-up vehicle embodying an upwardly rotatable frame having an upper saddle for engaging in a recess in the exterior of a portable waste receptacle to lift and invert the receptacle as the frame rotates, and a lower hook on the frame which is actuated by a cam fixed on the vehicle over a lower cross bar on the receptacle as the frame rotates to hold the receptacle in inverted position.

United States Patent [191 Shive WASTE RECEPTACLE DUMPING MECHANISM {75]Inventor: Howard J. Shive, Statesville, NC.

[73] Assignee: Rubbermaid Industrial Products Corporation, Statesville,NC.

22 Filed: Apr. 26, 1974 [21] Appl.No.:464,3l9

[52] US. Cl 214/302; 214/314 [51] Int. Cl B6Sf 3/02 [58] Field of Search214/302. 303, 312, 313, 214/314 [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS [115,364 6/1929 Hirschner 214/303 2,683,544 7/1954 Linde 214/31351 July 15, 1975 Collins 2l4/313 Brown et al. 2l4/302 PrimaryE.taminerRobert J. Spar Assistant E.raminer Lawrence J. Oresky Attorney,Agenl. or Firm-Hamilton, Renner & Kenner [57] ABSTRACT Dumping mechanismpreferably mounted on the side of a pick-up vehicle embodying anupwardly rotatable frame having an upper saddle for engaging in a recessin the exterior of a portable waste receptacle to lift and invert thereceptacle as the frame rotates, and a lower hook on the frame which isactuated by a cam fixed on the vehicle over a lower cross bar on thereceptacle as the frame rotates to hold the receptacle in invertedposition.

3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures "MIT FmuL |5 ms 4. 642 sum 2 FIG. 3

e3 58 so I '62 65 5-9; J l4 WASTE RECEPTACLE DUMPING MECHANISMBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Certain prior devices for dumping portablewaste receptacles into pick-up trucks and the like have been complicatedand expensive. Some of those prior devices have included means fordetachably engaging and holding the receptacle in inverted position asit is being dumped. but the holding means is sometimes accidentallyreleased by being jarred or bumped, allowing the inverted receptacle tofall into the pick-up truck.

In the copending application of Brown, et al.. Ser. No. 339,636, allowedNov. 5, I973, there is disclosed a dumping mechanism having a lower hookwhich is positively moved into locking engagement with a cross bar onthe receptacle as the receptacle is being inverted. However, thatdumping mechanism is adapted to be mounted on the rear of the pick-upvehicle and swings about a fixed pivot offset from the axis of theactuator shaft, so that the height above ground of the dumping mechanismis narrowly restricted and can not be readily accommodated to thevarying heights required in mounting the dumping mechanism on differentpick-up vehicles. Also in the down" or loading position the dumpingmechanism is not locked but is free to swing in response to accidentalmovements of the pick-up vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention toprovide an improved dumping mechanism mounted on a pick-up or collectorvehicle for dumping waste receptacles into the vehicle.

Another object is to provide improved dumping mechanism adapted to bemounted on the side of the pick-up vehicle for lifting and dumping wastereceptacles into the side of the vehicle.

A further object is to provide improved dumping mechanism for a pick-upvehicle adapted to engage and invert a portable waste receptacle havingan upper exterior downwardly directed overhanging wall and an exteriorlower cross bar or abutment which cooperates with the dumping mechanismto hold the receptacle in inverted position.

Another object is to provide dumping mechanism which can be easilymodified to accommodate various loading heights presented by differentpick-up vehicles.

A still further object is to provide improved dumping mechanism which islocked in the loading position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing areceptacle in position to be lifted by the improved dumping mechanism.the receptacle being shown in partly lifted and tilted position inphantom lines.

FIG. 2 is a similar view showing the receptacle inverted and tilted todumping position.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly broken away and insection, similar to FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the receptacle in partlyraised and tilted position.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly broken away and in sectionsimilar to FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a vertical elevational view, partly broken away and insection, on line 66 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of a portable waste receptacleadapted to be lifted and dumped by the improved dumping mechanism.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The improved waste receptacleindicated generally at 10 is the same as that disclosed in saidcopending application of Brown, et al., Ser. No. 339,636, and has afront wall 13, with supporting wheels journalcd in the side walls 14.The front wall 13 has an elongated recess 25 therein extending from thebottom upwardly into the top portion 18 of the receptacle. A cover 22 ispreferably hinged on the handle 20 provided at the top rear edge of thereceptacle. An overhanging wall 26 is formed over the top of the recessand provides a transverse bar by which the receptacle may be lifted bythe improved dumping mechanism. A lower transverse bar 27 spans therecess 25 and forms an abutment adapted to be engaged by a downwardlydirected locking hook on the improved dumping mechanism.

The improved dumping mechanism indicated generally at 29 is preferablymounted on the side ofa pick-up or collector vehicle having acylindrical housing, a portion of which is shown generally at 30 and hascircumferential flanges 31 between which the dumping mechanism ismounted. A side access opening 32 is provided in the housing 30 throughwhich the waste receptacle may be dumped. A pair of circumferentiallyspaced angles 33 extends longitudinally of the housing between twocircumferential flanges 31 with the ends of the am gles secured to theflanges by angle brackets 34 welded to the angles 33 and bolted to theflanges 3I by bolts 35 (FIG. 6).

Spaced apart longitudinally within the angles 33 is a pair ofrectangular plates 36 and 37 having their edges welded to the angles asindicated, and a rotary motor or activator 38 of known construction ismounted on plate 36 by bolts 39. The activator has a drive shaft 40 withits ends projecting from opposite sides of the motor, and lifting armchannels 41 and 42 are fixed onto the respective ends of the shaft bykeys 43 and set screws 44. The channels 41 and 42 extend radiallydownward from the shaft in the loading position of the dumping mechanismshown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 6.

A lifting frame is supported on the lower ends of the arms 41 and 42 andcomprises angles 45 welded to and extending laterally from the ends ofthe arms, and a transverse channel 46 extending between the ends of thearms. Angles 47 are welded to the outer ends of angles 4S and extendupwardly therefrom at a slight outward inclination. Downwardly andrearwardly inclined angles 48 are welded at their upper ends to angles47 and at their lower ends to the near sides of lifting arm channels 4]and 42. Bottom, front and top cover plates 49, 50 and 51 are preferablywelded to the exteriors of and extend between the angles 45, 47 and 48,respectively.

A saddle for engaging under and supporting the overhanging wall 26 ofthe receptacle comprises an upwardly curved channel 53 welded at itsinner edge to the front cover plate 50 near its top edge. A supportangle 54 is welded to the plate 50 under the saddle with its upper legin abutment therewith. Preferably, a bumper bead 55 is welded to the topedge of plate 50 to abut the front wall of receptacle portion 18 whenthe overhanging wall is entered into the saddle 53.

With the overhanging wall supported in the saddle 53, counterclockwiserotation of the shaft 40 will cause the lifting frame to raise andinvert the receptacle to dumping position within the vehicle housing, asindicated in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5.

It will be apparent that the lengths of the lifting arms may be variedto raise or lower the lifting saddle and thereby accommodate the dumpingmechanism to vehicles having different loading heights above ground.Moreover, when the lifting arms and frame are in the loading position ofFIGS. 1 and 3, they are locked in position because they are secureddirectly onto the activator shaft. Hence there can be no accidentalswinging of the lifting and dumping mechanism due to jarring oraccidental movement of the vehicle.

The improved means for holding the waste receptacle on the lifting framewhen the receptacle is in inverted position as in FIG. 5, comprises ahook for locking over the transverse bar 27 on the receptacle. Referringto FIGS. 3 and 6, the hook 57 preferably constitutes a reentrant notchformed in the outer peripheral flange 58 ofa cam plate 59 projectingthrough a slot 60 in plate 50 and having a pivot pin 61 journaled inbushings 62 on opposite sides of the slot. The upper inner edge of thecam plate 59 has a counterweight stop bar 63 welded thereto formaintaining the hook 57 disengaged in loading position and preventing itfrom accidentally rotating through the slot to an inoperative positionwhen a waste receptacle is not adjacent thereto.

Means for positively moving the hook 57 into locking engagement with thebar 27 when the receptacle is lifted comprises a rocker lever 65 havinga cam roller 65 on one end engaging the bottom curved peripheral flange58' of cam plate 59. The rocker lever 65 is pivoted intermediate itsends on a bracket plate 66 secured to cross channel 46 of the frame andhas a foot plate 67 on its other end engaged by a roller 68 on the lowerend of an actuating rod 69 which is slidably mounted in an upper crosschannel 70 and a lower cross bar 71, both extending between and securedto the lifting channel arms 41 and 42.

A roller 72 on the upper end of actuating rod 69 en gages a fixed cam 73formed on the housing of activator 36, thus fixedly mounting the camwith respect to the housing 30 of the pick-up vehicle, and the cam isdesigned to force the rod 69 radially outward from shaft 40 as the arms42 rotate, to rock the lever 65 and rotate the cam plate 59 clockwise,positively engaging the hook 57 with bar 27.

As indicated in FIG. 3, the cam 73 is designed so that there is a slightdelay when the arms 42 begin to rotate before the hook 57 is moved, soif the height of the lifting mechanism is lowered due to the vehicleload, the bar 27 will be raised to proper hook-engaging position beforethe hook 57 is rotated toward the bar. A compression spring 75 encirclesthe rod 69 and acts between bar 71 and a flange 76 on the rod to urgethe roller 72 into engagement with the cam 73.

In the operation of the improved dumping mechanism, with the mechanismin the loading position of FIG. 3, the waste receptacle is moved toposition with its overhanging wall 26 over the saddle 53. The activator36 is then operated to rotate the arms counterclockwise and lift thereceptacle by upward rotation of the saddle. When the position of FIG. 4is reached, the

rod 69 is actuated by cam 73 to rock lever 65 and rotate hook 57clockwise into positive locking engagement with bar 27. As the arms 42rotate to the dumping position of FIG. 5, the cam 73 through the rod 69,lever 65 and plate 59 continues to hold the hook in locking engagementwith bar 27, thus precluding downward sliding movement of the invertedreceptacle into the pick-up vehicle.

When the dumping mechanism is operated to reversely rotate lifting arms42, as the arms move from the position of FIG. 4 to the position of FIG.3, the rod 69 under pressure of spring allows the cam plate 59 to rotatethe hook 57 and unlock it from the bar 27, whereupon the wastereceptacle can be disengaged from the saddle 53. A stop lug 78 isprovided on lifting arm channel 41 for abutment with lugs 79 and 80 onthe plate 36 in loading and dumping positions, respectively.

When the improved dumping mechanism is in the loading position of FIGS.1 and 3 and the waste receptacle detached, there can be no swingingmovement of the mechanism due to accidental movement of the pick-upvehicle, because the arms 42 are locked in place by the activator untilit is operated. The improved mechanism is easily modified by varying thelengths of lifting arms 42 to accommodate pick-up vehicles havingdifferent loading heights and is particularly well adapted for sideloading vehicles.

I claim: 1. Dumping mechanism for lifting and dumping a waste receptaclecomprising a frame rotatably mounted on a waste collector, a cam fixedlymounted on said waste collector, an upper saddle mounted on said frame,a downwardly facing hook pivotally mounted on said frame below saidsaddle, means to rotate said frame to lift and tilt a waste receptaclesupported thereon by engagement with said saddle, and means on the frameactuated by said cam as the frame rotates to positively pivot the hookdownwardly to engage it with an abutment on said waste receptacle, saidcam delaying action on the means to positively pivot the hook untilafter the initial rotation of the frame to lift a waste receptaclesupported thereon.

2. Dumping mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein the means to rotatethe frame is an activator mounted on the waste collector and the cam isfixedly mounted on said activator.

3. In combination, a portable waste receptacle having an upperoverhanging wall and a lower abutment on the exterior of its front wall,dumping mechanism comprising a frame rotatably mounted on a wastecollector and having an upper saddle adapted to engage under saidoverhanging wall to support said receptacle, means to rotate said frameto lift and tilt said receptacle, said means locking the frame inloading position when said means is not operating, a cam fixedly mountedon said rotating means, a downwardly directed hook pivotally mounted onsaid frame, and means on the frame actuated by said cam as the frame isrotated to positively pivot said hook into engagement with said lowerabutment, said cam delaying action on the means to positively pivot thehook until after the initial rotation of the frame to lift a wastereceptacle supported thereon.

1. Dumping mechanism for lifting and dumping a waste receptaclecomprising a frame rotatably mounted on a waste collector, a cam fixedlymounted on said waste collector, an upper saddle mounted on said frame,a downwardly facing hook pivotally mounted on said frame below saidsaddle, means to rotate said frame to lift and tilt a waste receptaclesupported thereon by engagement with said saddle, and means on the frameactuated by said cam as the frame rotates to positively pivot the hookdownwardly to engage it with an abutment on said waste receptacle, saidcam delaying action on the means to positively pivot the hook untilafter the initial rotation of the frame to lift a waste receptaclesupported thereon.
 2. Dumping mechanism as defined in claim 1, whereinthe means to rotate the frame is an activator mounted on the wastecollector and the cam is fixedly mounted on said activator.
 3. Incombination, a portable waste receptacle having an upper overhangingwall and a lower abutment on the exterior of its front wall, dumpingmechanism comprising a frame rotatably mounted on a waste collector andhaving an upper saddle adapted to engage under said overhanging wall tosupport said receptacle, means to rotate said frame to lift and tiltsaid receptacle, said means locking the frame in loading position whensaid means is not operating, a cam fixedly mounted on said rotatingmeans, a downwardly directed hook pivotally mounted on said frame, andmeans on the frame actuated by said cam as the frame is rotated topositively pivot said hook into engagement with said lower abutment,said cam delaying action on the means to positively pivot the hook untilafter the initial rotation of the frame to lift a waste receptaclesupported thereon.